By Ed Dean
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data on construction employment across Florida counties between Q1 2024 and Q1 2025. The analysis examined the percentage rise or fall in quarterly employment to determine where job opportunities are shrinking most rapidly.
Taylor County leads Florida with a 17.83% drop in construction employment falling from 1,133 in Q1 2024 to 931 in Q1 2025.
Gulf County ranks second with a 15.70% decline. Employment dropped from 1,210 in Q1 2024 to 1,020 in Q1 2025.
In third was Suwannee County with a 12.21% decline. Construction employment slid from 2,522 in Q1 2024 to 2,214 in Q1 2025.
At number four was along the Space Coast, Brevard County. That county has seen an expansion of construction jobs over the last decade, with more contracts coming in with the Space Industry. But they saw an 8.96% decline. Construction jobs fell from 52,204 in Q1 2024 to 47,528 in Q1 2025.
Holmes County takes the fifth spot with a 7.79% decline. Construction jobs dropped from 1,052 in Q1 2024 to 970 in Q1 2025.
On the west coast, Hernando County, just north of Tampa, comes in a 6th at 5.36% decline. Charlotte County (7th) at 5.30%. Calhoun (8th) with a 5.22% decline, DeSoto (9th) with 5.05%, and Okaloosa (10th) with a 4.95% decrease in construction jobs.
Most of the decline in Florida came from more rural areas the data reveals.
Florida counties like Taylor, Gulf, and Suwannee are facing the steepest declines in construction employment. These decreases point to industry-specific challenges, from reduced project pipelines to shifts in local investment patterns,” said Online HR platform Techr.
“While statewide employment remains comparatively resilient, these regional contractions highlight vulnerabilities that can have ripple effects on housing markets, infrastructure development, and overall economic stability,” said the the HR firm.
